Apartment Life
by ec-writes
Summary: A look into the awkward, exciting, and unforgettable adventures of our favorite FMA characters living in booming Central City. 'Modern/Apartment AU.' Series of one shots. WIP.
1. Alarm

Alarm

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The consistent beeping of hell's alarm was sounding off in the demon's apartment below, and Edward had reached his breaking point. He didn't need to look at his clock to see the time; he'd been woken up by that bastard every morning this week, but he did anyway. '4:45 AM' blinked away in a bright, sinisterly red light.

This was fucking ridiculous. How did anyone in this damn building get any sleep? Yeah, he was new to this whole apartment life thing, and at least he hasn't had to deal with other stereotypical problems (he hoped he'd never have to deal with some of them), but waking up at the ass crack of dawn every damn work day? Hell no. He couldn't do it.

So, on this particular friday morning, when he still had two hours before he had to go in to this new job and the inconsiderate bastard _woke him up again_, he decided he'd have to lay down the law with this loud-alarm-having-_son-of-a-bitch_.

He snapped his sheets back with a loud 'crack!', grabbed his sweatpants off the floor, and started towards the door.

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Winry yawned as she stumbled into the tiny kitchen. Thank god for automated coffee makers! They made having to wake up so early a little less horrible. Why did she sign up for that 6 AM class again? Oh, that's right. It was the only one available. Who knew her first year at med school would feel like her first year of college _all over again_?

She flopped her arms onto the counter and waited for the mug to fill, right as someone began banging at her front door. The sudden sound made her jump, causing her to smash the back of her head into the sharp edge of the over hanging cabinets.

"Son of a bitch," she muttered, and peaked her head out of the kitchen and at the door. Whoever was banging at it was relentless. She slowly moved towards it, picking up the closest blunt object and holding it like a weapon.

"Open up, damnit!" the culprit said. "I know you're awake!"

Winry's eyes grew wide. Should she call the police? It couldn't be someone wandering in from the streets, the front doors of the building were locked and only residents had keys to get in. Peaking through the peephole in the door, she inspected the brooding man that stood outside. She didn't recognize him, but he had to be a resident here… Didn't he?

"Who are you?" she asked nervously, twisting the item in her hand.

The man looked up at the receiving end of the peephole and deadpanned.

"Your new neighbor," he grunted. "The one you've been waking up every damn morning with your loud ass alarm."

Oh shit, she thought. Her alarm had been inexplicably effective this past week. Did she accidentally turn up the volume on it? She felt flustered and embarrassed, but then she got angry. So this guy couldn't just calmly come down and knock on the door like a normal human being? Or leave a damn note?!

"So you bang at my door at this early hour like some crazy person?" she exclaimed. "You could've woken up the entire building!"

She put the chain lock on the door in place and opened it to the full two inches that it'd allow. The man really did look like just rolled out of bed, with his tousled hair and lack of a shirt. If she wasn't completely appalled by his behavior, Winry could have considered the guy physically appealing. However, he was a complete ass banging at her door when she should be drinking her morning coffee and getting ready for school, and being attractive didn't excuse that. She didn't even want to think about the fact that she was only wearing a baggy tee as they stood there, awkwardly eyeing one another before remembering they were sort of arguing and switched into full on glare mode.

"I'm pretty sure everyone in the building is already awake, thanks to your damn alarm," he scowled, but after a small moment, the man sighed and began to rub at his eyes. "Look, just turn your alarm down, okay? I promise I won't bang at your door anymore."

"Fine," she replied snottily, trying her best to keep eye contact and _not_ look at his shirtlessness. "Now, can I _please _get back to what I was doing before I was rudely interrupted?"

The guy scoffed and crossed his arms. "Oh yeah, like how I was sleeping before you rudely interrupted that?"

Winry did really feel bad about that, but his attitude was making it easier to not care as much as she should.

"Sorry," she said, albeit half-heartedly. "Even?"

"Hardly," he grunted, and began to walk away. "Pleasure meeting you…." he began sarcastically, then stopped by the stairwell once he started to trail off.

"Winry," she finished for him.

The guy nodded absently at the affirmation, then muttered, "Ed." before walking up to the next floor. Winry shut the door quickly after, staring at the floor as she replayed the encounter in her head over again.

"What a pain in the ass," she said aloud to herself, and went back to the kitchen, hoping that the rest of her day would be much more pleasant.

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Ed dragged himself back to his apartment and, too tired to walk all the way to his bed, collapsed on the couch. Pulling a blanket out from under his coffee table and throwing it over himself, Ed did his best to fall back asleep, but the events that transpired between him and his downstairs neighbor kept his mind awake.

He laid there for what felt like ages, when the sound of someone running through the hall ignited his senses. He sat up when he heard the door to the building slam, and decided he might as well try sleeping in his bed for a little while before he had to get ready for work.

He walked by his balcony door and spotted Winry running to her car; a huge back pack slung over her shoulder and a thermos in hand. Damn, was she still a student?

Ed swiped a hand over his face and started towards his bedroom again. Who cares what she is. She was his neighbor, not his friend. He didn't have to worry about any of that. If everything goes the way he wanted it to, he wouldn't have to deal with her ever again.

He face planted into his bed and let out an exhausted sigh.

Yeah… Something told him things weren't going to go his way.

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><p><span>Author's Note<span>: I AM SO SORRY FOR BEING ABSENT FOR SO LONG. I never intended to go on such a long break, but alas, life happens. I have not abandoned my other stories. Chapter 13 of AAT is being revised, In Deep is still in the works, and I'm doing what I can to get Mixtape back together (it got deleted off the site, and I don't have all the chapters saved on my laptop anymore, so it's been a pain in the ass). Apartment Life isn't going to be another plot-based story, just a series of "update when I please" Modern AU one shots based around little ideas or prompts that I've found interesting. It'll be a way to help me stay into writing when I'm stumped on my other pieces. I hope you enjoy the first prompt, and please review! :)


	2. Pets

Pets

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"Oh, dear."

Ling scratched his chin nervously as he looked at the empty terrarium. His little pet got out again, the damn Houdini. Last time he checked, the time was six-thirty. That gave him about half an hour before Lan Fan came back from the dojo. If he could find good ol' Greed before then, he wouldn't have to worry about his lovely girlfriend giving him a nice pounding (and not the good kind).

He checked the couch, behind the entertainment center, and every other nook and cranny within the apartment, but there was no sign of his little escape artist.

"This does not look good," he muttered to himself. "Looks like I'll be needing to recruit some assistance."

Making sure to watch the door closely as he opened it, so the little sneak didn't get out when he wasn't paying attention, Ling peered out into the hall to see if anyone was coming in or out of their apartments. Lucky for him, the newbie from across the hall was just walking into the building!

"Helloooo there, neighbor!" Ling chimed, waving enthusiastically at the man. The newbie cocked an eyebrow as he walked to his front door.

"Hey," he replied bluntly.

"Say," he began, leaning against the doorway. "Ya wanna help me out with something? I'll be eternally grateful!"

The man's face stayed in that deadpanned, no-nonsense having state. "What is it?"

Ling twirled his foot in a circle against the hallway's rough carpet. "Nothing crazy, just helping me find my pet. He got out of his cage, and my girlfriend won't be very happy if she finds out our little guy's gone missing."

Newbie let out a sigh, and shoved his key into the handle of his door. "Yeah, okay. Give me a minute to drop my stuff off inside."

"Great!" Ling cheered, and stepped back into the apartment. "The door's unlocked! Enter carefully!"

He shut the door and let out long breath of relief. It probably would've been a smart idea to tell the guy that Greed was a… eh. He'll find out when they find him.

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Ed let out the loudest of groans as he dropped his messenger bag, keys, and wallet on the coffee table.

"I can never catch a break, can I?" he muttered. "Guess that's what I get for being so damn freaking nice."

He grumbled under his breath until he reached the guy's front door.

"C'mon in!" the guy belted, and Ed let out a sigh of defeat as he stepped into the place.

The living room looked like someone had robbed the place. Everything was scattered about frantically, and Ed thought to himself that it wasn't a surprise the dude lost his pet.

"You'll need to get close to the ground," the guy said, checking the dark corners behind the couch. "He likes to hide in shadowy spots."

"Gotcha," Ed grumbled, and got to his knees.

"The name's Ling, by the way!" the guy added, popping his head up.

"Ed," he responded, and started tossing old magazines aside as he looked around for some kind of animal.

"Nice to meet you, Ed!" he chirped, and something told Ed that this Ling fellow was going to bug the crap out of him. "Thanks for helping me look for my snake!"

Ed jerked up, completely mortified.

"What?!" he squeaked, and that bastard tried to cover up his mistake with a sheepish smile.

"Oops!" Ling quickly stated, and let out an awkward chuckle. "I forgot to mention that, didn't I?"

A loud scream from the floor below echoed through the room, and quite possibly the entire building.

"By the sounds of it," Ling began, getting to his feet slowly. "I believe Winry has found Greed."

Winry? Ed thought. Oh, great. Just fucking great.

The two ran down to the bottom floor as fast as they could and barged into the girl's apartment, entering a scene that Ed never thought he'd ever witness. Winry, in nothing but a loose tank and underwear, was standing atop the table in her dining room with a large wrench in hand, staring down at the biggest snake he'd ever seen that wasn't in a zoo.

"GET. IT. OUT!" she screamed, and Ling was quick to obey.

"Oh, Winry!" he laughed, moving slowly towards the serpent. "Don't be so jumpy"

"There is a giant snake in my apartment, _again_," she seethed. "You're lucky I didn't get a chance to call pest control!"

Ling let out an offended gasp as he scooped up the snake, which, surprisingly, was extremely docile, despite it's size. "I can't believe you'd say that! And Greed isn't giant, he's only four feet!"

"That's big enough, now GET IT OUT!" Winry shouted, and Ling quickly exited.

Ed stood in the doorway, completely baffled. What in the hell made him think that living in a building with a bunch of strangers was a good idea? He contemplated this, until Winry interrupted him by clearing her throat.

He glanced over at her, and immediately wished that he hadn't. Checking her out was not his intention, but when he made eye contact with her, he wasn't able to look away without taking in everything else. Ed supposed only seeing a single eye, hair, and one long leg behind a cracked door did not prepare him for the rather pretty girl that was before him now.

"Did you need something?" she asked aggressively, still standing on her table as though she no longer trusted the ground.

He didn't answer immediately, but eventually, he blurted, "Do you ever wear actual clothing?"

Her face turned red and the wrench went flying.

"GET OUT!"

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Ling got Greed in his cage just in the nick of time. Lan Fan entered the messy abode only moments after he got the snake in his cage, and he didn't mind listening to a lecture on the importance keeping an orderly home, especially if it meant avoiding a beating for losing a pet.

A loud shout resonated through the building as Ling went to greet her, and Lan Fan quickly turned towards the door.

"Was that Winry?" she asked. "Should we check on her?"

Another loud yell echoed, but this time it was male.

"Oh, she's fine!" he chuckled nervously.

Lan Fan squinted suspiciously at him. "The snake got out again, didn't he?"

"No, no, no!" he stammered. "She's just hanging out with the new guy across the hall. You know, I think they might have a thing. They were hanging out the other night and he was telling me all about how they… "

Lan Fan's expression turned steely, and Ling let out a dejected sigh. "I'm in trouble, aren't I?"

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	3. Car Trouble

Car Trouble

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_Son of a bitch_, Ed thought, slamming the hood of his car in frustration. The piece of shit hadn't been working right in ages, and it chose today, of all the god forsaken days it could have picked, to die on him. How was he going to pick up Al from the airport now?

He slummed against the bumper and let out a shout of frustration. He supposed he could ask Ling or Lan Fan for ride (as weird as they both were, he had come to actually like hanging around them), but right as that thought came, he remembered that Lan Fan was helping her grandfather lead a black belt test at his dojo. _Shit_.

"Looks like I'll be calling a cab," he muttered to himself, as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and collapsed back on the beat up hood.

He didn't hear Winry exit the building, nor did he hear her humming as she walked down to the parking lot. When she stopped beside his car and watched him agitatedly surf the web, she had to clear her throat to catch his attention. It was something she had to do often, and damn was it annoying!

"You alright?" she asked in an amused sort of tone.

Ed huffed and glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Don't suppose you know anything about cars?"

Winry perked up at the statement. "Actually, I do. My granny owns an auto-shop back home."

Edward nearly got whiplash with how fast he sat up. "No shit?!"

"Seriously," she smiled, and hiked the strap of her purse higher up on her shoulder. "Want me to take a look?"

"Please," he exclaimed, and hopped off the car with haste.

Winry handed him her purse and popped the hood up. "So, what's it doing exactly?"

"Um, the engine isn't turning over," he explained. "Not sure why."

"Ah," she said, examining the car's inner workings. "I might not be able to spot the problem then."

"It makes weird noises when I try to start it," he added.

"That's something I can work with," she replied, and motioned for him to get in the car. "Go ahead and show me."

With a quick nod, he moved to the drivers seat and plugged the key into the ignition. The engine _click-click-clicked_, but never started. Winry's eyes widened as she listened, and lifted her hand to tell Ed to stop.

"Sounds like your starter's shot," she explained, and closed the hood. "You're going to have to take it in and get it replaced."

Ed's expression dropped. "Of fucking course."

Winry seemed to wince a little as Ed flung his head back against the seat.

"Is there somewhere you need to be?" she asked, almost apologetically. "I mean. I'm running out to the grocer's. I don't mind—"

"I have to be at the airport in twenty minutes to pick up my brother," he interrupted. "I don't think you'd want to drive out that far."

Winry went silent for a moment, but her face hardened as she walked over to the driver's side door and yanked Ed out. "Let's go."

"W-what?" he exclaimed, earning an overly-exaggerated eye roll from the blonde.

"It's not a big deal," she said, and directed him towards an old, but refurbished-looking truck. "I had nothing better to do today, plus _this _will make us even for the alarm thing."

"If you say so," Ed muttered, and Winry pushed him a little harder.

"I do say so," she replied with a glare, but in a playful, friendly type of way.

She shoved him towards the passenger's side and plucked the large door to the driver's seat open. "Now, hurry up and get in!"

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Alphonse stepped out to the pick up area with a tinge of worry. His brother hadn't sent him any confirmation texts about getting to the airport, nor was he able to get a hold of him.

"Please let him have remembered," he whispered to himself. He knew Ed had been so stressed out with the new job and the big move; he wouldn't have been surprised if he ended up sleeping through his calls or the alarm he made sure to have him set.

Standing awkwardly in a sea of friends and families reuniting, he looked around in hopes of seeing his brother's beat up old car. Yet, there was no sight of it.

What he wasn't expecting to see, was a truck speed up from its slow pace and park right in front of him. He also wasn't expecting to see his brother get out of the car, _beaming_, and _with a very pretty girl._

"Hey, bro!" Ed greeted, and pulled Al into a tight hug. "Sorry I'm late- car trouble."

"Hello, yourself!" he chuckled, and peered over his shoulder at the smiling girl, who was waving at him from the driver's seat. _Car trouble, my ass._

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	4. Body Language

Body Language

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Rose liked to think she was a free spirit; being raised in a hippie commune sure did help solidify that. She was never one to stay in one place for long, but Central City was starting to make her change her nomadic ways. She fed off of people's energy, and living in the hustle and bustle of C.C. sure did fill that hunger. The vibrancy and exuberance of each person she passed on the street was just intoxicating.

Like her neighbors, for instance; they all lived such fascinating lives. Ling and Lan Fan: two Xingese lovers enjoying their first taste of freedom as they gained citizenship in Amestris. Then there was Alex Louis: a tower of a man with a heart as big as his physique, who created art so beautiful, it could move her to tears. Oh, and darling Winry! She had such a brightness in her, like a living drop of sun. She was a classic country girl trope, but instead of fame, she sought to learn new ways to heal people through medicine, mechanics, and kindness. Living with such people was so enticing! It kept her grounded to that spot, or at least as grounded as she could possibly be.

The autumn weather was beckoning to be enjoyed, and Rose was not one to deny herself such a delight. She was sitting outside on the apartment building's lawn, strumming her guitar as she hummed a whimsy hymn, when she saw Winry and two new faces walking up the sidewalk. How lovely! Winry rarely brought people to her home, it'd be nice for her aura to touch new lives!

"Hello, Winry!" she boomed, picking the strings of her beloved instrument, and looked to the two golden men that stood beside her. "Hello, Winry's friends."

"Hey Rose," the blonde smiled, and tilted her head slightly. "Did you get locked out again?"

"Oh no!" Rose giggled. "I'm just enjoying the earth before it goes to sleep."

"The hell is she talking about?" the golden man with a ponytail mumbled, and the other lightly smacked him.

"Oh!" Winry blurted, and pulled the ponytail man to her side. "Rose, this is our new neighbor, Ed, and his brother, Al! Ed, this is Rose. She lives next door to me."

"Hey," he grumbled, and Rose could sense a bubbling in him. Perhaps he was an anxious soul, or was his close proximity to the lovely girl causing his nerves to spike?

She waved her hand widely in front of him, causing him to focus on the drastic gesture rather than Winry. "Nice to meet you, Edward and Al!"

Alphonse smiled as he waved back, while Ed simply bucked his chin up in acknowledgement.

After a moment's pause, Winry invited her over for tea before the group bid her farewell. As they walked into the apartment, Rose analyzed how bashful Ed's body language was when he got close to Winry. It was even more apparent when she noticed how he reacted to his brother being beside him, instead of her lovely next-door neighbor. Perhaps an attraction was blooming?

Rose began to strum the strings of her guitar again, humming a simple melody as she looked out to the sky.

Sometimes spring's influence hit people earlier than expected.

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	5. Bad Taste

Bad Taste

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Lan Fan watched as Winry bounced her foot nervously, staring at the piles of clothing sprawled out on her bed. She sat quietly at the girl's vanity, waiting for the blow up to happen. Truthfully, she was surprised her friend hadn't already started to have her typical 'date night' melt down. Usually when she called her over to help pick out an outfit, she was already a nervous wreck threatening to call off the date for reasons unbeknownst to anyone but her and her frazzled state of mind.

Then, it happened. She let out the trademark sigh, her hands left her hips to fly up in the air, and her expression turned blank.

"This is stupid!" she exclaimed, and clapped her palms to the top of her head. "Why can't I just pick one?!"

_...And there she goes_, Lan Fan thought. Without hesitation, she pulled out her phone and began to look through her contacts. "Want me to call Garfiel down?"

Winry let out an exaggerated gasp. "He's going to get so fed up with me!"

"Nonsense," Lan Fan replied, and dialed the number. "He's assured us both that he loves doing this. Besides, this is date number seven, right? He'd be offended if we didn't. "

Winry groaned and nodded with defeat. "Thank you."

"It's what I'm here for," she replied, and the phone began to ring.

"Helloooo, Lanny!" the eccentric man chimed. "How can I help you, dear?"

"Winry is in need of assistance," she stated. "It's date number seven with 'tall, blonde, and charming'."

"Oh my word," he whispered. "How bad is she?"

"We've caught the beginning," Lan Fan informed. "If you come now, she'll be fine."

"I'm on my way, darling!" he exclaimed. An "Oh, Alex!" could be heard in the background before she hit 'end call'.

"They're both on their way," she told her, and Winry let out a long sigh.

"Now," Lan Fan started, and stood beside her dear friend. "Let's put away the sweatpants and overalls. You know how angry he gets when you pull them out for dates."

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Approximately three and a half hours later, Lan Fan walked back to her apartment physically and emotionally drained. Evenings like this with her friends reminded her why she was so happy she and Ling met at a young age. They never had to experience the bar scene and idiocies of being twenty-somethings trying to find their perfect match.

Ling was sitting on the couch when she entered, laughing at some slapstick show with Ed and his brother. He beamed at her and patted the cushion beside him, signaling her come and join. She smiled softly back and made her way over, plopping down on the seat with an unintentional amount of force.

"Need a beer?" Ed asked, then got up and started towards the kitchen as Lan Fan nodded deeply.

"How did it go down there?" he asked her, wrapping and arm around her shoulders.

"We were able to avoid a breakdown," she sighed, and stole a swig of Ling's beer, "but her nerves are shot. It's been a long time since she's met a guy she really likes."

"You're telling me," Ling replied. "What date number is this again?"

"Seven," she informed, and Ling's jaw dropped.

"Hey," Ed called, as he walked back into the room, cracking open a beer of his own and tossing one to Lan Fan. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Winry might be getting laid tonight!" Ling cackled.

Lan Fan smacked him on the arm, successfully quieting him, and said. "Winry went on an important date tonight with a guy she's been seeing for a while."

Ed's brow crinkled at the statement.

"Ah," he said, then shrugged his shoulders as took a swig of his drink. "Good for her, I guess."

"I hope it goes well!" Al added, earning a rather heated glance from his brother. "Do you know the person?"

"He's a classmate of hers," Ling explained, his voice bouncy and emulating a girlish sense of excitement. "He wants to be a surgeon. He's got great hair, broad shoulders and soooo tall."

Ed grimaced as Al laughed awkwardly.

"Knock it off, Ling," Lan Fan warned, and the man quickly cut the act. "He seems like a nice guy, so we're hoping for the best."

A knock on the door interrupted the conversation, and seconds later, Garfiel and Alex entered the apartment, cases of beer and bottles of wine tucked under their arms.

"This is a night to celebrate!" Alex bellowed. "Whether the date is a hit or miss! We need to get a party going!"

"We brought the wine and beer!" Garfiel cheered, and the group jumped to help carry the drinks, or pop them open.

As Lan Fan placed the bottles of wine on the kitchen counter, she could have sworn she heard Al tease Edward about something, but shoved it aside.

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It was eight thirty-five when her phone began to buzz. Lan Fan was sipping on her fifth beer, chuckling as Ling sang "The Circle of Life" with an intensity that only inebriation could help him deliver. She pulled the device from her pocket and unlocked her screen, wondering if her grandfather was sending her a list of tournaments for the next month. To her surprise, and dismay, it was a text Winry.

"Oh no," she whispered, and opened the message:

_Call my phone in five and pretend you're dying. PLEASE SAVE ME. _

"Guys," Lan Fan shouted, but they didn't hear her. "HEY! STOP THE PARTY!"

Everyone paused and turned to the girl.

"The date is a bust," Lan Fan announced, and an echo of _'no's_ began to spew. "I've got to call and get her out of there."

"Did she say what's wrong?" Garfiel pouted.

"No," she replied, "but I'm sure she will once she gets home."

She waited the specified time and made the call.

"Hello?" Winry answered, her voice husky, but obviously fake.

Before Lan Fan could begin a horridly executed lie, Ling grabbed the phone and began to cry far too loudly into it.

"WINRY," he sobbed, clutching the phone as though his life depended on it. "WINRY, I'M SO SOR-RY-Y-Y-Y!"

"What the fuck…" Ed began, then rolled his eyes and snatched the phone. "Winry, we need you back home. Lan Fan is about to kill Ling, and I'm not stopping her."

A shrill sound came from the other side of the phone; no doubt Winry pretending to be in distress, and Ed hung up.

"Here," he grumbled, and cracked open another drink. "Now, let's get weird."

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Winry walked into the party about a half hour later. Her hair was disheveled and her makeup was a little smeared, but Ed was surprised by how nice she looked.

"Winry dear!" Garfiel cried out. "What happened?!"

Winry's shoulders drooped as she flung her head back and let out a loud groan.

"Well," she began, rolling her neck as she grabbed a beer. "Turns out Russell is into some weird stuff that I could not partake in."

Ed made a face at the name. Russell? Jesus, the guy's name alone was a train wreck. What loving parents would name their kid _Russell?_ It sounds like a potato chip company.

"Oh-ho-ho!" Ling oozed, wagging his eyebrows at her. "What _kind_ of weird stuff?"

Winry's face flushed a bright shade of red as she tried to explain what happened, and Ed found her embarrassment damn near adorable.

"He-ohmygod, I don't even want to say it!" she laughed, covering her face in her hands. "He…"

With a deep breath, she lifted her head and squinted her eyes shut. "He said he wanted to lick me clean like a pussy cat!"

Everyone in the room's jaw completely dropped, followed by a chorus of _'WHAT?!'_s.

"He did, he did, he really did!" she cackled, and began give, in full detail, the entire, horrible experience of what happened once she went back to Russell's house.

Ed couldn't stop cracking up. Never in his life did he ever hear someone fuck up so royally. It was hilarious! And he thought _he_ had awkward partner experiences!

"Okay, okay!" she shouted, still red and laughing. "I need, like, an entire bottle of wine, please. I've got to erase this date from my mind."

"I gotcha," Ed shouted, and moved to the kitchen.

Al went with him, grabbing a cold beer from the fridge as he poured Winry a drink.

"Well," the younger brother said, placing a hand on Ed's shoulder. "At least you now know she's available."

Metaphorical glass began to shatter inside of Ed's head.

"What the.." he snapped, completely and utterly baffled. "Shut the hell up, Al."

The little shit chuckled and shrugged his shoulders as he left the room, an all-knowing smirk plastered on his shit of a face. Ed glared at him as he followed behind, but was stopped by Winry as she reached for the glass in his hand.

"Thanks, Edo!" she beamed, her cheeks still rosy from all the blushing, and winked as she took it.

_Damn, she is kind of cute_, he thought, but shook his head and waved off the thanks as they joined the group once more. He wasn't going to think on that now. She was an obnoxious, loud, annoying neighbor who was still in college and had bad enough taste in men to date one that wanted to "lick her like a pussy cat". There was nothing interesting about that.

…. Plus, Al's comment made him want to avoid any form of '_I told you so'_ for as long as humanly possible.

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	6. Match Makers

Match Makers

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Garfiel opened the bathroom door swiftly, letting the hot steam roll out to the floor and fly above his head.

"Ah, did I need that!" he gasped.

Alex looked up from his place at the sink, smiling as his boyfriend strolled into the room; his light purple bathrobe hugged him tightly, like a long winter coat.

"Is the shop still swamped?" he asked, continuing to wash the dishes as Garfiel let out a sigh.

"Yes!" he whined. "The Promised Day rush is already hitting. I guess people are starting to catch on that bringing your car into the shop a week or two before holiday is a terrible idea. I didn't think it'd start to sink in to October, though!"

Placing the last dish on the counter to dry, Alex wiped off his hands, grabbed a bottle of wine, filled a glass with it, and handed it to his dearest.

"Do you still want to go to the gallery tonight?" he asked. "It'll be open for another week, we don't have to—"

"Alex," he said, an eyebrow cocked. "Nothing is going to stop me from seeing your art on display. I'm just sad we can't go every night that the gallery will have it."

The ends of his blond mustache curled up as she grinned. "Alright then, I just don't want to overwork you."

"You couldn't overwork me if you tried," he smirked, and took a long drink from his glass.

"Oh-ho!" he laughed, and reached for Garfiel's hand. "Is that a challenge?"

"It's a promise," he winked, and squeezed his fingers lovingly as he let out another sigh. "It's a shame Ling and Lan Fan can't join us for dinner tonight. I was looking forward to a double date."

Alex nodded his head in agreement. "We need more couple friends."

"Mhmm," Garfiel hummed. "Poor Winry, I can't believe that Russell boy turned out to be a dud."

"I can't believe he turned out to have some kind of animal fetish," Alex added. "Kink shaming is not in the Armstrong way, but that was just indecent. I wonder if he was one of those perverted little furries…"

"Alex Louis!" the man exclaimed. "Don't you even!"

He shrugged as he began to laugh, and ran his thumb over his boyfriend's knuckles. "We need to just set her up. She's having no luck on her own, and match-making is a talent passed through my family!"

"Isn't that the truth," Garfiel sniggered. "Though your sister didn't have the sensitive touch with us that we'd need to give Winry."

He then placed his chin in his palm and smirked inquisitively. "So, have anyone in mind?"

Alex brought his free hand to his mouth as he pondered. "Hmmm. How about that new boy at the shop?"

"Neil? Oh no," he waved. "They would have similar interests, but he's far too immature, and a smoker."

Alex had almost forgotten about Winry's hatred for cigarettes. "Oh, right."

"Oh! I have someone!" Garfiel announced, his smirk turning into a mischievous grin. "I think her and that Ed fellow would be an interesting pair."

"The new neighbor?" Alex asked, and tried to picture it in his head.

"Mhmm," Garfiel answered, with a good amount of pep in his tone. "He couldn't keep his eyes off of her all night last night."

"Really?" he said, rather surprised. He didn't even notice the blond man making eyes at their friend, and he's always the one to see such things!

"I tried to point it out, but you were too busy helping poor Lan Fan with Ling," he explained. "We'll have to drop some hints about him when we see her next. Plant the seed in her pretty little head."

Alex smiled widely and let out a booming chuckle. "Look at you being an expert match maker! You put me to shame!"

"Perhaps it's just that Armstrong talent is rubbing off on me," he said with a wink. "Alright, I'm going to get ready for dinner. Care to join me?"

"If I do, you'll need another shower," he warned, smirking as he spoke.

"Why do you think I took one so early?" Garfiel oozed, and the two ran off to the bedroom, laughing like a pair of love struck teenagers.

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><p><span>Author's Note<span>: For this story, "Promised Day" is going to be something like USA's "Thanksgiving". When I get close to updating for that, I'll fill you in on the details! :)


	7. Rendezvous

Rendezvous

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Maria sat patiently at the two seater table, outside of her favorite coffee shop in Central. She let out a pleasant sigh as she leaned her cheek against her hand, glancing out at the bustling cars from behind the black iron gate that separated her from the street. This part of the city was hectic, loud, dangerous, and damn, did she miss it.

Her and her fiancé had left their cozy little apartment for a starter house approximately one month ago, but that four week period felt more like a lifetime spent away from a place she still considered home. She didn't regret moving; her and Denny were ready to start this stage of their lives (not to mention her job required her to relocate), but that didn't stop her from feeling just a bit of homesickness anytime she thought about that area.

A small peck on the cheek stirred her back to the moment, and she turned her head in the direction of the dirty blond smiling beside her.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Denny laughed, and took the seat across from her. "I hope this isn't taken?"

Maria cocked a thin eyebrow, and smirked. "It _was_ for my fiancé, but I don't mind giving it to you, since he couldn't bother to call me and let me know he'd be late."

"Hey!" he quickly replied, genuine worry in his expression. "I said I was sorry! The office has been crazy since they fired Archer!"

Maria laughed and reached for his hand. "I'm just kidding, you big softie."

Denny stuck his tongue out at her and leaned back in his seat. "It's nice to be back in this part of town."

Maria nodded and looked to the street again. "Mhmm."

"You think the others will be there tonight?" Denny asked, and the woman chuckled.

"Of course they'll be there, " she said. "They all still live in the same building. I doubt Alex would let them get way with not going."

He laughed and nodded his head. "Yeah, he probably burst into each of their apartments and made a spectacle of an invitation."

Maria laughed, and quickly began to beat on his hand. "Do the impression! Do it! Do it!"

"Okay! Okay!" he exclaimed, then puffed his chest out as he struck a dramatic pose. "_The ability to coerce others to do my bidding has been passed down the Armstrong family for generations!_"

A waitress walked by at that exact moment, staring perplexed at him, causing Denny to quickly shrink into himself and Maria to cackle hysterically.

"Knock it off, ya big bully," he grumbled, albeit with a blush and a smile.

"I'm sorry!" she gasped, and cleared her throat. "Do you still want to get drinks, or are you mortified to the point that you want to leave?"

Denny's ears went pink as a group of teenage girls began to giggle and point obnoxiously. "Let's go."

:

Maria stared at the gigantic statue of a nearly naked, muscular, mustachioed man in complete disbelief. No, on second thought, it wasn't disbelief; if Alex _didn't_ make something as gaudy as this, she'd be stunned.

"Why-how-when does he find the time to make this kind of stuff?" Denny managed to mumble out, but Maria couldn't formulate answer.

"Dear friends!" a voice boasted, and massive arms wrapped around the couple. "You came!"

Alex Louis Armstrong, their large and very emotional friend, began to sway their bodies back and forth as he hugged them tightly and spoke jovially of their presence in the city.

"Air, Alex!" Maria choked. "We need _air_!"

The giant of a man gasped and quickly let them both go. Maria sucked in a breath dramatically, and poor Denny's face was a violent shade of purple.

"My apologies!" he exclaimed, and rested the palms of his hands on their heaving backs. "It's just so lovely to see both of you!"

Maria smiled through her panting, and slowly straightened herself out. "It's nice to see you, too."

"Maria, dear!" came another voice from behind, and, once again, she was engulfed in a strong hug. "Ah! It looks like you did get my message!"

"Garfiel!" she laughed, as he put her down with a light, but not unpleasant, and friendly squeeze. She was thankful that he, unlike Alex, knew his own strength.

The eccentric man gave her a quick look up and down, and smiled. "You look absolutely radiant, dear. I take it Denny has been _doing _you right?"

Garfiel winked in what was meant to be an inconspicuous way, though it was quite the opposite, and Maria could feel heat tingle the tips of her ears as Denny and Alex, as well as many passerby's, turned around and look at her loud-mouthed friend.

She gaped at the man in surprise and slapped his shoulder lightly. "You brat! I should ask you the same thing with Alex!"

Garfiel laughed and wrapped and arm around her shoulder. "Oh, we'll have to catch up on sex stories later. This is Alex's special day! We must celebrate in the appreciation of his beautiful work!"

"Are the others here?" Denny asked, looking around the area lightly. "I figured everyone'd be coming."

"Lan Fanny and Ling-o are busy tonight with her grandfather," Garfiel explained, counting off names with his fingers as he spoke, "Rose had a gig," he let out a wistful sigh, "Paninya's visiting relatives in Rush Valley, and Jean and Becky are still backpacking Aerugo. Winry's here, though," he added with a little smirk, "and with the new neighbor."

Maria cocked an eyebrow, while Alex and Garfiel shared secretive sniggers.

"Whaaaat's going on that we don't know about?" she asked.

Garfiel cleared his throat. "Well, Miss Detective, let me show you."

He then guided her down the gallery's hall, with Alex and Denny close behind. She spotted Winry's bright blonde tresses immediately, standing off to the side analyzing a large painting of a nearly naked Armstrong on a large white steed. Beside her old neighbor, however, were two golden haired men that she did not recognize; one that was the picture of clean cut and handsome, and the other was ruggedly good-looking, but had a bad case of bitchy resting face.

"The one with the ponytail is living in your old place now," Garfiel told her. "He comes off very…rough around the edges, but trust me when I say he's a big softie."

"…and has a thing for our little Winry," Alex added.

Maria stared at them a little longer, and noticed how the 'new neighbor' and Winry bickered with one another and swatted at each other consistently, like little kids did with their first crush. It was… rather interesting.

"No way," Denny whispered, as the neighbor turned to Winry and gave them a full view of his face, then shouted, "Ed?"

The man turned, and his eyes grew when he noticed Denny. "No shit! Brosh?!"

Maria watched with great surprise as the two men ran to each other, hugging and fist bumping as they laughed at the strange and unexpected rendezvous. "I'm guessing you know each other?"

"Hell yeah!" Ed boomed. "This guy was my RA freshman year at XU!"

Maria's eyebrows shot up in surprise; she remembered visiting him all the time during his years at Xerxes University, but never recalled him hanging out with any underclassman. "Really?"

"Yeah!" Denny exclaimed. "This kid was my favorite!" He turned back to Ed and began to smirk. "Getting you smashed was hilarious!"

Winry snorted. "I bet!"

"I was nothing compared to Ling the other night," Ed quickly stated, a slight tinge of red coloring his nose. "That guy makes my drunken stupors look like teachings from Aristotle."

"I can vouch for that," his brother added quietly from behind them. "As belligerent as this one can get, he has yet to try and give me a strip tease in exchange for my hair."

The group burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter, and took the tour of Alex's artwork together. As they flowed through the different sections of media and art styles, Denny was able to slip back to Maria's side.

"So," she whispered, as she eyed Winry and Ed walking by one another. "What do you think of those two?"

Denny glanced at them as well, and took her hand. "Definitely could work. He's just as stubborn and high-energy as she is."

Maria chuckled and twined her fingers with his.

"Now," she began, and her face turned stony, "about you giving alcohol to minors…"

Denny's face went ghostly pale. "Why must you always scare me with your interrogation face?"

"One of the perks of marrying a cop," she teased, and pecked his cheek.

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	8. Video Games Pt 1

Video Games

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He should have known he was done for when she made a slight mention of his favorite video game in conversation, and even more so when she challenged him to a match.

Al rolled his eyes as Ed and Winry shit-talked their way through setting up his old Nintendo 64.

"I hope you're well hydrated," Ed began, and turned on the game system, "because you're going to be pissing tears when this is over."

Winry scrunched her nose and took the controller from his hand. "You're nasty."

The opening for _007 GoldenEye _began to play.

"What kind of death match to you want?" Ed asked, sneering as they situated themselves on the couch.

"License to Kill," Winry replied, glaring intensely.

"Tch! Should've picked Golden Gun," Ed chastised, to which Winry swatted him on the shoulder.

"Quit stalling and get ready to for the whoopin' of your life," she chided.

"Whatever," he grumbled, started the game.

A minute in, and he was dead.

"HA!" Winry squeaked, and turned to shout in Ed's ear. "Suck on THAT!"

"LUCKY SHOT!" he shouted back. "REMATCH!"

They started the second round, and in two minutes, he was dead again.

"OOOOOOHHH!" Winry boomed, clapping her hands in triumph. "Whose pissing tears again?!"

"Shut up!" he snapped. "Let's go again!"

The third round began. This time, Winry was the one to die

"YEEEEEAAAAYYYYAAAAWWW!" Ed screamed, stomping to his feet and punching the air. "IN YOUR FACE!"

"I'M STILL WINNING, IDIOT!" Winry projected, and elbowed his side.

"NOT FOR LONG!" Ed replied, and slammed his backside back into the couch as he started the fourth round.

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Ling was staring at the living room ceiling when a knock came from his front door.

"C'mon in," he announced, and Al entered the apartment with a groan.

"Please tell me I can get some quiet here," the blond sighed, as he flopped into a nearby chair. "Just for a little bit."

"I can't make any promises," Ling stated. "Though, may I ask, why are you coming to my apartment for silence?"

"Because Ed and Winry don't know how to keep it down," Al replied, and Ling immediately shot up from his rested position on the couch.

"Oh really?" he inquired.

Al's eyes grew wide. "No, no, no! Not like that!"

An unexpected burst of screaming came from below them, and echoed through the entirety of Ling's apartment.

_ "YOU ARE A DIRTY, FILTHY PIRATE HOOKER!"_

_ "OH, EAT MY ASS, YOU BIG BABY!"_

Ling blinked incredulously as he let the profane shouting fill his ears.

"Ah," he finally said. "They're playing video games."

Al let out a pained breath, and Ling quickly got to his feet, grabbed his keys, and headed towards the door as he slipped on his shoes.

"Are you leaving?" Al asked.

"Yep," he answered, "and you're coming with me. I don't want to hear what happens when they finally turn it off."

"Good point," he agreed, and followed close behind.

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	9. Jobs

Jobs

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Ling stared vacantly at the blinding laptop screen, a heavy and nervous feeling eating away at the pit of his stomach. Another job rejected him, _again_.

Lan Fan came into the room as he wiped his hand down his face, and moved quietly, but swiftly, to his side.

"You'll get something soon," she told him, placing her arms around his shoulders and resting her head against his. "Your year isn't up yet, and you still have so many other places to—"

"I don't have anything else," he interrupted, speaking through his fingers. "I've applied to everything I could think of, and it's been the same thing."

"What about your dad?" she asked, and Ling unintentionally cast a dark look.

"_Not_ an option."

"Ling," she said softly, running her hand across his and moving it from his mouth. "I know you don't want to, but it'd be the perfect opportunity."

"I'm not working for him," he said bluntly. "He's corrupt and selfish…"

"…and a well-respected lawyer that would help you gain the experience you need," she finished. "I know you don't want to follow in his footsteps, but perhaps, by working with him, you can get your foot in the door and learn how to not make the same mistakes he did."

She lightly touched his jaw and directed his face towards hers, forcing him to make eye contact. "If you've truly tried everything already, then this _is_ your only option," her expression hardened in a comical way, "I will not let you waste your ivy league education on minimum wage, non-profit, grunt work. No matter how 'good' it may be for our society."

Ling smiled weakly. "I wanted to do this on my own, without _his_ influence."

"And you still can," she insisted. "You're taking a job that you know you'll be successful at, in the field of your dreams. You can still be the savior to the world that you aspire to be, even if you're working for your father."

Ling gazed at her in silence, then rested his forehead against hers. "Thank you, Lan Fan. I'm glad someone believes in me."

She ran her fingers along his jaw and lightly pecked his cheek. "I'll always believe in you, until the day I die."

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"Yo, boss!" Garfiel heard someone shout from outside of his office. "Your man's on the phone!"

_That Alex_, he thought, as he sat down the growing amount of paper work on his desk. "I'll be right there!"

Neil was waiting for him by the front desk of the shop, smirking as he twisted the phone around in his hand.

"I thought the business phone wasn't meant for personal calls," he teased, but Garfiel shooed him away with a wave of his hands.

"Get back to work," the man sighed, and Neil chuckled as he went back into the garage.

"Alex, dear," Garfiel began, smiling as he twirled his fingers around the phone cord. "You can't keep calling me at work. The boys are starting to chastise me."

"_I know, but I just couldn't wait to tell you this!"_ Alex all but shouted. "_You're NEVER going to guess who just commissioned me._"

Garfiel rolled his shoulders and leaned into the front desk. "I'm no good at guessing games, who?"

There was a long pause.

"_President Bradley."_

Garfiel's jaw dropped. "WHAT?"

"_I know! This is the greatest moment of my artistic career!"_

Grabbing a piece of paper and fanning himself, he began to giggle incessantly. "You better not be pulling my leg, Mr. Armstrong."

"_Would I ever joke about something like this?"_ Alex said over the line. "_Apparently, he viewed my portraits online and found my talent to be exceptional! He wants me to paint five portraits for the Bradley estate, with the requirement that one be a family portrait! I may never get a job like this again!"_

"Alex dear," Garfiel began, his adrenaline beginning to pump. "How much is he going to pay?"

Another pause cause him to sweat with anticipation.

"_Let's just say, we'll be able to take that trip to Creta that you've always wanted, ten times over."_

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Alphonse sat outside on the apartment's balcony, enjoying the afternoon air as he waited for his brother to come home from work. Despite the fact that he insisted it wasn't an issue, he felt bad that Ed couldn't take a week vacation to spend time with him. Being an apprentice, he knew that he wouldn't be able to pick and choose when he went into the lab, but it still infuriated Edward that his "stupid bastard" boss wouldn't allow him at least a day or two off.

So, while his brother was no doubt muttering curses all the way through work, Al spent his day cleaning, exercising, studying for his upcoming classes, and enjoying the quiet he knew would be short-lived.

He sipped lightly on his hot tea as he watched the sun slowly begin to set over the city horizon. Aesthetically, it looked amazing, scientifically, Al wondered if the sunset looked so lovely in the city because of the contamination in the air.

"Hey Al!" he heard someone call, and looked down at the walkway to see Winry heading towards the front door of the building, groceries in hand.

"Hey!" he replied. "Do you need any help?"

She shifted the bags in her arms and shot a tired smile. "If you wouldn't mind."

"I'm on my way!" he shouted, and, after placing his mug in the sink, ran to the entryway.

"Thank you so much," Winry breathed, as Alphonse opened the door for her.

"No problem," he said, and quickly grabbed a falling bag from Winry's hands. "Here, let me take some of these for you."

"You're too sweet, Al," she smiled, and made her way inside.

He followed close behind her, and noticed the large book bag on her back. "You're still in school?"

"Unfortunately," she sighed, and went down the small stairwell to the basement level. "I'm in medical school."

"Oh wow!" Al gasped. "What for?"

She went to the first door on the left, and plugged in a key from her lanyard. "I want to be a surgeon."

"Thats…incredible!" he exclaimed, and Winry began to laugh. "No, I mean it! I actually want to be a physician."

"Well, would ya look at that?" she said, and opened the door. "Maybe some day we can open a practice together?"

"So long as you can deal with being around Ed all the time," Al commented, with a smirk.

"Ha! He's nothing I can't handle," she replied, with a flip of her hair. "Come on in, are you hungry?"

Almost as if on cue, Al's stomach began to growl.

"I'll take that as a 'yes', then," she chuckled, and motioned for him to enter. "Do you like stew?"

Al's eyes widened as they walked to the kitchen and sat the bags on the counter. "Fu-I mean, yeah I do!"

Winry started to crack up as she pulled the groceries from recyclable totes. "Well, if you help me make it, you and Ed are more than welcome to have dinner with me!"

Al pulled out his phone with a smile, and quickly sent Ed a text with the invite. "Deal!"

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Ed was walking to his car with great haste. Damn, was he ready to leave the lab. The guy he was apprenticing for was a complete bastard; how someone with that big of a god complex is allowed to be a forensic technician was beyond his comprehension. Plus, stew was waiting for him. He couldn't even remember the last time he had a home-cooked meal like stew.

"Hey Elric," a deep voice boomed from behind him. He muttered profanities under his breath as Roy Mustang, his 'superior', caught up to him.

"Good day today," he started, in that cocky-ass tone, and placed a hand on his shoulder, "but remember to keep your temper in check."

"Since we're off the clock, I'm allowed to be completely frank with you, correct?" Ed said, glaring at him from the side.

"Of course," Mustang replied.

Edward was about to unleash a fury of obscenities, when a woman with amber hair approached them.

"Afternoon," she stated to Roy, who began to ooze and eyed Ed. "I take it this is your apprentice?"

"That it is," Mustang smiled, making Ed want to roll his eyes or vomit. "Edward, meet Detective Riza Hawkeye. We'll often work with her on murder cases, well, when we actually have them."

"In that case, I hope I don't see you often," Ed commented, and the woman gave him a small smile. "Nice to meet you, ma'am."

"Please, just call me Riza," she responded.

"Well, we better get going," Roy announced, and placed his hand at the small of Riza's back, causing Ed to stare perplexed at them. "See you bright and early tomorrow, Elric."

"Yeah," he said, rather unenthusiastically. "You got it."

"It was nice to meet you, Edward," Riza complimented, as she offered him her hand, and he nodded in response as he shook it, noticing the wedding rings that adorned her finger.

He watched them as they departed, taking each other's hands in such a way that seemed casual and simple, he probably wouldn't have noticed, had he not looked out for it.

"Huh," he mumbled to himself, and shrugged as he got in his car. He figured Mustang was a womanizing, self-involved git. Seeing that he had a wife was rather surprising. He began to wonder if maybe he pegged the guy wrong…

_No_, he thought, as the entirety of his work day flashed through his head, _he was still a self-involved git._

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Jean and Rebecca pulled into the parking lot around twelve thirty in the morning. After a long and wonderful honeymoon, they finally found themselves back at home.

"Whelp," Jean sighed, as he flicked the ashes off his cigarette out the open window. "Looks like we're back in the real world."

Rebecca let out a loud groan. "I don't want to go back to the shop tomorrow. I'm so sick of retail."

"Then quit," Jean said, to which Rebecca lightly slapped him on the chest. "I'm serious, Becky. If you don't like it there, don't stay. It's not like we can't afford to let you take a break."

Rebecca pursed her lips. "Because the military pays you _so_ well?"

"We may not live like kings, but we won't be strugglin'," he said, matter-of-factly. "I just want you to be happy."

"I am happy," she stated, smiling as she cupped Jean's cheek. "I just don't want the honeymoon to end. Our jobs are a pain in the ass."

A devious grin grew on Jean's face, and he leaned in to kiss her.

"We don't have to let it," he whispered, and nibbled on her earlobe.

"Then let's not," she smirked. "Get your ass in the apartment. We can get the luggage tomorrow."

"Yes, ma'am," he oozed, and they scurried off like rabbits towards the building.

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	10. Thin Walls

Thin Walls

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It happened, the one thing Ed hoped he'd never have to experience.

It was 12:45 AM, and he was almost asleep, when he _heard _it.

It was a faint moan, followed by a 'thump' and squeaks from a metal-framed bed.

"No," he whispered to himself. "No, no, no…"

He covered his ears with the pillow, but it didn't drown out a damn thing. His next-door neighbors, ones he didn't even know he had, were impossibly _loud._

He didn't know what the hell to do. Al was passed out on the couch, so he couldn't go out there. He didn't have any ear plugs, and he sold his stereo before moving in.

"Son of a bitch."

About two minutes into unintelligible mutters of names and dirty talk, his phone went off. He figured it was a petrified Al who got woken up by that last barrage of loud wall thumping, but it was Winry.

(12:51): _Sounds like Jean and Rebecca are back from their honeymoon_. _Guess the shits wanted to sneak passed us and keep the lovin' going._

Ed let out a groan.

(12:52): Is it like this ALL THE TIME?

(12:53): _If you don't interfere, yes._

"Jesus," he muttered.

(12:53): HOW DO I STOP IT?!

She didn't respond. Instead, about three minutes later, there was a knock on his door. He crept to it quietly, hoping to let his brother sleep through this nightmare.

"Hey," Winry whispered, as he creaked the door open.

"Did this really require you to come over?" he asked quietly, but she paid him no mind and she strolled into the apartment.

"The art of shutting those lovebirds up is a delicate one," she explained, glancing back at him from over her shoulder. "It has do be done a specific way, plus._ I_ want to be the one to do it."

Ed rolled his eyes as he shut the door, and scratched his bare stomach. "Whatever."

Winry smirked as she looked at him, then quickly turned her attention to his apartment. Now that he thought about it, she had never been inside here, had she?

"Huh," she said, as she looked around his living room. "It's not as bad as I thought it'd be. Way too much red and black, though."

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" he exclaimed, but his stirring brother caused him to freeze.

"Shh!" Winry breathed, her eyes wide and a smile beginning to crack. "People are trying to sleep."

"Ha ha," he snarled, and crossed his arms as he glared at her. "Can we just get this over with?"

"Don't get your briefs in a bunch," she joked, and headed back towards his bedroom.

"I don't wear briefs," he grumbled as he followed behind.

Winry peaked back at him, a single eye glancing him up and down. "I can tell."

… And Ed was pretty sure his entire face was blood red.

She went into his room and, as she did with every part of his house (and him), she looked over every part of it. A snort escaped her when he noticed his extensively high volume collection of manga and comics.

"What's so funny?" he asked defensively.

"Nothing," she waved. "I just can't believe you read _Naruto_, of all things! You seem more like a _Death Note_ kind of guy."

"You read manga?" he asked, quite surprised, as she walked over to the wall that separated his place from the still all-too-loud couple.

"Had to find an outlet for my dorkiness in some way," she explained, then cleared her throat as she bounced on the tips of her feet.

"First lesson for dealing with loud neighbors," Winry began, "is knowing the perfect mood killer."

She then began to bang on the wall ferociously, screaming and whining like an infant child.

"What the hell?" Ed heard a muffled voice say from the other side.

"If you don't want a crying baby waking you up so early in your marriage," Winry hollered, "cool it with the loud sex! You're scaring the new neighbor!"

She then turned to Ed and smiled. "And that, is how it's done."

He stared back at her with complete surprise. "I think you were louder than they were."

She shrugged and began to walk out. "At least they know now to keep it quiet."

Ed nodded at the response and followed her to the living room.

"Well, thanks, I guess," he told her as he opened the front door.

"No problem!" she replied. "Everyone here has a different way to shut them up when they're being loud, doesn't matter the reason. Just let me know if you need anymore tips."

He chuckled. "Alright, what shuts _you_ up?"

"Ha! Wouldn't you like to know?" she snorted, and headed back to her apartment.

He closed the door and locked it, but nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Al sitting up on the couch, looking like a disheveled zombie.

"Were you and Winry having sex?" he said.

Ed thought he was going to have a heart attack. "What?! NO!"

"Oh," he yawned, and laid back down. "I was about to say, you need to learn how to keep it down. It sounded like you woke up the neighbor's baby."

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	11. Lunch

Lunch

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"I'm telling you, Sheska," Winry began, as she slammed her behind against the large metal doors of the school building and entered the cold outdoors, "you've gotta stop beating around the bush with this girl."

The mousy brunette that followed close behind clung tightly to the pile of books in her arms. "You think?"

"Totally!" she replied, pulling her fluffy orange scarf high up to her nose, and huddled into her friend's side. "If you just told-what's her name again?"

"Bri," Sheska squeaked, "she's one of the Briggs transfers. Short blonde hair and glasses…"

"Calm the swooning, Romeo," she joked, and stopped at a crosswalk that led to a strip of restaurants. "Just tell Bri what's up! See if she'd like to do a study date or something! It's better than hoping she doesn't notice the river of drool coming from your mouth as you ogle her in Knox's class."

Sheska's face went paper white. "Oh god, it's not _that_ obvious is it?!"

Winry crinkled her nose as she nodded her head, and the brunette buried her face behind the small mountain of books she was carrying. "You look like a dog staring at a steak bone."

"I hate you," she groaned.

"Oh please," Winry laughed, and hugged Sheska as her face grew pinker.

"Let's just get some coffee, before I die of embarrassment," she whined, and together, they crossed the street and entered their favorite bistro.

Winry was surprised to see the place was packed with people; something that was not typical on a Thursday afternoon. She guided Sheska through a sea of leaving customers, before she found a place in the growing line.

"Maybe we should go someplace else?" her friend muttered.

"Hell no!" she snorted. "I am _not _missing the chance to get white chocolate cranberry cheesecake, just because it's a little busy."

Sheska sighed, but nodded her head. "Same."

The lined didn't seem to move more than an in a minute. The poor workers must be understaffed and overwhelmed, she thought. She hoped no one was being too much of an ass to them about the pace. Perhaps, she'd leave a bigger tip than usual in the jar, just to lift their spirits a little.

"Winry?"

Thoughts paused, she turned her head and sucked in a breath as she spotted Edward facing her, coffee in hand.

They stared at each other tentatively for some time. His red jacket seemed like a sore spot in the sea of black and grey puffer and petticoats, and the dimness of the bistro lights made his eyes glow, almost like a cat. He looked…different. Nice, even.

"Right," he began, eyeing her book bag. "You're a student at CCU. Of course you'd come here."

She cocked an eyebrow. "What's your excuse? Trying to find the hippest place to sulk?"

"Tch!" he snapped. "I'm on my lunch break, ass."

"Uh huh," she muttered, and scoped the area. "I'm sure the high amount of cute college girls isn't what peaked your interest."

Edward was about to rebuttal, but a man with messy black hair came up from behind and placed an unwanted hand firmly on his shoulder.

"My, my! This place is swimming with lovely ladies," he beamed, while Ed rolled his eyes, "and to think, _you_ didn't even want to join me for lunch today."

The man glanced at Winry, and smiled brightly. "Edward, you didn't tell me you had a _friend_!"

Ed's face turned as red as his jacket.

"I don't-" he began, but the man cut him off.

"Hello, miss!" he said, and shook Winry's hand. "I'm Roy Mustang, Edward's co-worker."

Oh, so _this _is the 'annoying bastard'.

"Nice to meet you," she began. "I'm Winry, Ed's neighbor."

"Neighbor, aye?" he repeated, and glanced slyly at Ed. "Well, if this guy ever gives you any trouble, just let me know."

Winry tried to hold back a snort, but failed. "I'll be sure to do that."

"For fuck's sake," Ed interrupted. "Can we go now?"

Mustang looked hurt, but let out a sigh as he checked the time. "I suppose we should. Nice to meet you, Miss Winry!"

"Nice to meet you, too, Mr. Mustang," she smiled, and waved awkwardly as Ed muttered, "See you at home," before pushing the man out the door.

"Wow," Sheska whispered, as they neared the register. "That was… interesting."

"Yeah," Winry agreed, as she watched the man ahead of them put in his order.

"Now I know how you must feel when you see me gaping at Bri."

Winry's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"You mean you can't tell?" Sheska asked, then began to giggle. "I think your neighbor has a little crush on you."

Winry's eyes grew large. "What? No he doesn't!"

"Yes he does!" she exclaimed. "Wait… do you like him, too?"

Winry could feel her ears go hot. "What?! NO!"

Her friend began to squeal as she stomped up to the register and rambled out her order. "Just shut up and tell me what you want to eat."

"Revenge, please," she began. "Oh! It's best served cold."

Winry groaned as quiet little Sheska began to bounce on the balls of her feet. "I hate you."

"Oh my," she began, smiling. "How the tables have turned!"

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><p><span>Author's Note<span>: Yay for Snow Days! Had a little time to make a quick little update, but don't expect much more until after December 13th. I'm so busy with school work, and honestly, I _should_ be working on some of my many projects, but I wanted to give you guys a little something before I leave you for a few weeks!


	12. Morning Routines

Morning Routines

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Ling hummed to himself soulfully as he walked to the bathroom, completely naked. Nodding his head to a beat only he could hear, he turned on the water and adjusted the shower head pressure to perfectly in-between intense skin pounding and soft rain.

"_Ba-bow-bada-boooow,_" he rhymed softly, as he tested the water's heat and hopped on in. "_With a little bada-booooow_."

The door he left wide open was suddenly shut, signaling that Lan Fan had exited the bedroom and entered the kitchen.

He filled his hand with shampoo and, as he began to massage it onto his scalp, started to sing as loud as possible.

"_MY MIND IS TELLIN' ME NOOOOOOOOOO! BUT MY BOOODDDYYY~ _Lan fan? LAN FAN?!"

There was a small pause, before he heard her groan, "What, Ling?"

"_MY BOOODYYY IS TELLIN' ME YEEEEEEE-EH-HEEEEEESSSSUH!"_

The door swung wide open. "Please, for the love of god, stop."

"Only if you join meee!" he sang.

He heard her grumble, but in a few moments, Lan Fan was slipping passed the curtain and into the shower with him. He smirked as a shiver caused her skin to prickle.

"Bit nippily, eh?" he joked, and, as he placed his hands atop her shoulders, swapped spots so that she could warm up.

She glared darkly before dipping her head back into the hot water. "Don't make me hurt you."

"Feisty," he added, passing Lan Fan her shampoo. "So, what's on the agenda for today?"

"Nothing yet," she responded, eyes closed as she worked the light-scented suds through her dark hair. "We actually have this weekend free."

"Oh really?" he mused, placing a hand on her bare hip for balance as he grabbed a bar of soap. "I think we should utilize this rare occurrence to the fullest."

"Agreed," she replied, and lightly pecked Ling's shoulder as they traded spots once more. "Alphonse is leaving for school this Sunday. I say we through him a party."

"I like the way you think, Lanny," he smiled, as he washed away the soapy residue from his arms. "Costume party?"

"Sounds doable," Lan Fan said, lathering her body wash and applying it to her upper body.

"You're doable," Ling oozed.

Lan Fan rolled her eyes as they switched places for a final time. "We are literally washing ourselves off from this morning. You need a turn off button."

"Sorry, my dearest," Ling sighed, as he lightly kissed her cheek. "I'm pretty sure you broke that the moment I met you."

"You are the definition of 'cheesy'," she smiled.

"Good thing you're not lactose intolerant," he replied, eyebrows wagging.

"Get out!" Lan Fan ordered, albeit with a laugh. "At least let me eat breakfast before you try to pounce again."

"I'll get that started!" Ling announced, and jumped out of the shower.

Lan Fan didn't hear him enter the bedroom to get dressed, and began to hope that they remembered to lock their front door the night before, so that no one walked in on a naked Ling cooking eggs and bacon…. again.

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><p><span>Author's Note<span>: Two hour break in between classes, and making up head canons with the boyfriend created this. Enjoy!


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